't have any one. But he has the case in charge, and has
gone up to Assouan to meet us there. Shall you run up to Khartoum?"

"I may."

"All these things are done so easily now."

"Yes."

"The railway has made everything so simple."

"Yes."

"I'd give worlds to go to Khartoum. People say it's much more
interesting than anything up to the First Cataract."

"Then why not go there?"

"Perhaps we may. But not just yet. Nigel isn't in the mood for anything
of that kind. Besides, wouldn't it look almost indecent? Travelling for
pleasure, sight-seeing, so soon afterwards? It's a little dull for me,
of course, but I think Nigel's quite right to lie low and see no one
just for two or three weeks."

"May I light a cigar?"

"Of course."

Rather slowly Meyer Isaacson drew out his cigar-case, extracted a large
cigar, struck a match, and lit it. His preoccupation with what he was
doing, which seemed perfectly natural, saved him from the necessity of
talking for a minute. When the cigar drew thoroughly, he spoke again.

"You don't think"--he spoke slowly, almost lazily, as if he were too
content to care much either way about anything under heaven or
earth--"you don't think your husband would wish to see me, as we are so
very near? We've known each other pretty well. And just now you seemed
to fancy he might almost be vexed at my coming out to Egypt without
letting him know."

"That's just it," she said, with an answering laziness and indifference.
"If he had been expecting you, possibly it mightn't hurt him in the
least to see you. But Doctor Baring Hartley specially enjoined on me to
keep him quite quiet--at any rate till we got to Assouan. Any shock,
even one of pleasure, must be avoided."

"Really? I'm afraid from that that he must really be pretty bad."

"Oh, no, he isn't. He looks worse than he is. It's given him a bad
colour, rather, and he gets easily tired. But he was ever so much worse
a week ago. He's picking up now every day."

"That's good."

"He would go out digging at Thebes in the very heat of the day. I begged
him not to, but Nigel is a little bit wilful. The result is I've had to
nurse him."

"It's spoilt your trip, I'm afraid."

"Oh, as long as I get him well quickly, that doesn't matter."

"It will seem quite odd to pass by him without giving him a call," said
Isaacson, retaining his casual manner and lazy, indifferent demeanour.
"For I suppose I shall pass. You're not going up immediately?